


The mercy of the sea

by Lunaverse



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Mythology, Character Death, Haikyuu Angst Week 2020, M/M, Multi, Sailing, Sirens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:20:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27453376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunaverse/pseuds/Lunaverse
Summary: The ocean, to us small humans, is endless. We respect and fear her in equal measure. We've attributed countless gods to her might.Sometimes she gives, and sometimes she takes.This time, she gives Iwaizumi Hajime his husband. And then takes him away.
Relationships: Iwaizumi Hajime/Kita Shinsuke
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9
Collections: Haikyuu Angst Week 2020





	The mercy of the sea

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I know literally nothing about sailing or boats so if you do, and this all sounds horribly unrealistic to you then I'm so sorry. 
> 
> For those who are just as ignorant as me but didn't spend hours at 1 AM googling naval terminology. Here are the words I use (probably incorrectly)
> 
> Port and starboard: left and right respectively, from the perspective of someone facing the bow (front) of the ship 
> 
> Stern: the back of a ship
> 
> Berth: a bed or sleeping accommodation on a vehicle. In this case, the ones in the sleeping quarters build below-deck 
> 
> Whip/Whipstaff: a steering mechanism for ships widely used during the 16th and 17th century. 
> 
> Taffrail: the railing around the open deck area towards the back of the ship. 
> 
> Also "tetsu no kabe" is the romanization of 鉄の壁 which just means the iron wall because date tech. I tried to come up with another name but i was in a time crunch so iron wall it is.

"What's got you looking so grumpy, Futakuchi?" Hajime grins as he approaches the grumpy sailor, leaning onto the port side taffrail next to him. "Did Kamasaki yell at you again?"

"No, not this time," Futalichi grumbles, uncharacteristically serious. "I'm worried about the weather." 

"The weather?" Hajime looks up at the sky, where the sun hangs proudly on her own, completely free from clouds. The water's surface only disrupted by the testu no kabe gliding through it, creating small ripples in her wake. "Looks calm to me"

"Yeah,  _ too _ calm. Did you see the sun this morning? Red as blood. Pretty sure we've got a storm coming." 

Hajime frowns, looking at the pale blue sky with apprehension. The sun looking bright yellow as always. Then again, he allower himself a late morning today, staying in bed for hours after sunrise. "So, you think we've got a storm coming?" 

"I can feel it in my bones." 

"OI! FUTAKUCHI! DON'T JUST STAND AROUND THERE DOING FUCK-ALL! YOU DON'T GET PAID TO SIT ON YOUR ASS AND STARE AT THE SUN! GO BACK TO WORK!" Comes Kamasaki's booming voice from the forecastle deck. Futakuchi closes his eyes and groans miserably. 

Hajime chuckles, and apologetically pats Futakuchi in the shoulder. "Looks like you've been caught. I'll let you get back to your work"

"Yeah, yeah," Futakuchi grumbles. "And I'll let  _ you _ get back to your Kita-san" he follows it up with a sleazy wink. 

"If you don't shut your mouth I'll tell Kamasaki exactly where that spare vat of rum he lost has been this whole time." Hajime threatens, and watches with glee as Futakuchi pales and hurries back to his post. 

He walks across the deck to the stern, where the captain's cabin is. At his desk, bent over a map, is Moniwa, the captain and an old friend of his. And at the table, lost in one of the many books he'd taken with him for their trip, silver hair glowing in the warm light coming through the windows at the far end of the cabin, sits Kita Shinsuke. 

His husband. 

"Hey, Shin," He says, heart skipping a beat as his husband looks up and warm brown eyes meet his. 

"Hajime" he replies, a soft smile gracing his features. "You're just in time, Moniwa-san said lunch will be brought in soon." 

Moniwa looks up and gives Hajime a smile. 

"You've finally joined us!" He said. "I'll call Sakunami to bring the food in."

The cabin boy scurries in and lays out their meal on the large wooden table, before bowing to each of them and hurrying away again. 

Hajime laughs at the child's nervousness and takes his seat next to Shinsuke.

The food is delicious, as good as it can be when fresh fruit and meat is not an option. 

But Futakuchi's statement still wears Hajime down. So nearing the end of their meal, he scrapes the last bits up with a piece of stale bread and addresses the captain. 

"Futakuchi said he was worried about a storm." He says carefully.

Moniwa looks up from his food and thoughtfully lays his cutlery down. "Futakuchi says a lot of things he shouldn't." He says. "But he's not a bad sailor. It  _ is _ the season for storms. Was he talking about the sun this morning?" 

"That's what he said, yes." 

"We'll probably get some rain, yes. But we'll reach the shore in less than 3 days, I'd be surprised if we get overwhelmed by a gale before that. So don't worry. I'll talk to Futakuchi about it." 

"Ah! No reason to do that. He didn't do anything wrong, I was the one who asked him." 

Moniwa gives him a sharp look, one that manages to be intimidating despite his small stature and kind face. But he can't keep the smile off his face for long. "I know that perfectly well, Iwaizumi. You don't need to worry about him." 

And with that, he takes one last bite to finish his meal and walks away. 

"You shouldn't tell the captain how to do his job." Shinsuke chastises him as soon as they're alone.

Hajime sighs, "Futakuchi already gets in enough trouble without me ratting him out." 

"Then he should be used to whatever lecture Moniwa-san is about to give him," Shinsuke says coolly. He finishes the last of his meal and stands up. 

"Come on" he gives Hajime the smallest of smiles, but he looks fond. "Let's go to our own cabin." 

As they descend below the deck and reach their sleeping quarters, the first thing Shinsuke does is sink back into their bed, it's secured to the wall and barely big enough for the two of them. 

Hajime lights the gaslamp hanging from the ceiling and then joins him, curling around his Shinsuke's sleepy form. 

He stares down at his husband, face hidden in the pillows. Drowsy in a way he usually never is. It's a rare sight and he wants to enjoy it as much as he can. 

Hajime has traveled to every little corner of the empire, has met thousands and thousands of people. Fascinating and magnetic people who he'll likely never meet again. He's used to slipping in and out of people's lives, never knowing for sure if a goodbye is a farewell or a see-you-later. 

Shinsuke is his constant. His rock in a wild sea. Shinsuke is home, no matter where either of them are. He grounds him when his feet are far from familiar soil. 

He brushes his hand against the ring on Shinsuke's finger. He commissioned it himself, on one of his journeys to a city far in the northeast, whose jewelry is hailed across the entire continent. 

Shinsuke is a man of habit and practicality, who doesn't believe in flaunting any form of luxury. So Hajime told the smith to keep it simple and, more importantly, durable. A white gold band with a jadeite inlay. It matches the one on Hajime's own ring finger. 

He lets out a chuckle thinking about how Shinsuke had reacted, once the yes had been said and the tears of joy had dried. 

"What're ya laughing for?" Comes his husband's voice from beneath him. 

Hajime shakes his head wistfully. "Just thinking about how you got mad at me for giving you a ring." 

Shinsuke opens a single eye and glares at him. "White gold is expensive, Hajime."

"But it matches your hair!" Hajime protests, carding his fingers through the silver stands and their ink-black tips. 

"That's not enough of a reason to spend an extra thousand vyles on a ring." 

"Sure, whatever you say, love." No matter what he says, Hajime knows Shinsuke likes it. He can see him stare at it on late nights, turning it on his finger, admiring the way the jadeite shines in the last strips of sunlight. And he can see the love and joy in Shinsuke's eyes, and that smile is worth more to him than all the money he'll ever have. 

.

.

.

Late in the afternoon, Hajime steps out of his cabin rejuvenated and well-rested. Immediately, however, he notices that something is off. The atmosphere on the ship has changed. 

He looks around and spots Kamasaki and Futakuchi standing near the bow of the ship, looking at the sky. He makes his way towards them. 

"What's going on- Oh." He sees it as soon as the words leave his mouth. 

At the horizon, dark heavy clouds are gathering and stacking up atop of one another. And they're approaching quickly. 

"Seems like you were right after all," Kamasaki Tells Futakuchi. Who, for once, doesn't look smug about it. 

"Ah. Iwaizumi." He says then, turning around and bowing his head. "It looks like this won't be going as smoothly as we hoped." 

Hajime looks back at the clouds and is shocked by how much bigger they seem than they did just a moment ago. "Is there anything I can do?" He asks. 

"Go to your cabin, and tie up everything that could fall or slide." Futakuchi's face is grim. "Tell your husband you two won't be getting much sleep tonight. And not in the fun way."

"Uh- right." Hajime nods, and hastily makes his way back to the stern and down to his own cabin. 

.

.

.

Hajime yelps as a suitcase slips loose from where he'd tied it to the berth and it nearly hits him in the face. He catches it just in time and scrambles to secure it again. 

Shinsuke's knuckles are white from where he's clutching the railing like his life depends on it. His face looks the slightest bit green and his expression is contorted in restrained disgust and nausea. 

Hajime gazes at him, and slowly reaches out to smoothen the crease between his brows. 

"I can't believe you live on an island and you still get seasick." He jokes. It only causes Shinsuke's frown to now be directed directly at him. A shiver runs up his spine. But soon enough, Shinsuke's eyes soften. 

"Ya know I don't travel nearly as much as ya do." He says. "And an island doesn't move like this." 

"Well, yours doesn't. I've heard of an island in the south that's on the back of a giant turtle and moves through the water as it swims." Hajime grins.

"That's a myth, love. One that  _ I  _ told ya about no less." 

"Really?" Hajime smirks. "But I've been to the South and you never have. Maybe I heard from a local that it was true."

"In that case, ya would've told me about it as soon as ya came back. Ya never stop quacking about yer adventures!" 

"Well, maybe they asked me to keep it a secret so that no one would try and capture their secret giant turtle. I bet you could get a lot of money from that."

"Now yer just pulling stuff outta yer ass-"

He stops mid-sentence, and narrows his eyes at Hajime. "Ya were just trying to distract me." 

Hajime snickers. "Well, did it work?"

Shinsuke's shoulders relax slightly. "It did." He sighed. "For a little while at least." 

"No one likes storms." Hajime soothes, as he pulls his husband into a hug, stroking his hands across his back and feeling his muscles loosen as Shinsuke relaxes in his hold. 

Of course, he has to ruin it. 

"It's actually kinda cute, you know? Usually nothing fazes you. You're always so composed. But put you on a boat and you get like this."

"Shut yer fuckin' trap." Shinsuke cusses him out, hitting him in the chest. That only makes Hajime laugh louder.

"it's also cute how you spend only a few days with sailors and immediately start cursing like one." 

"Shuddup." 

Suddenly, they hear a scream from above, and Hajime's stomach fills with dread. 

In the arms of his husband, trying to distract him, he had almost forgotten what was happening himself. 

They're traveling with a small crew, since it was supposed to be nothing more than a short trip. But in a storm like this, you need every hand you have. 

Hajime has spent hundreds of days at sea in the last 15 years. As a merchant's son and diplomat, he has known the ins and outs of travel since he was a boy. 

And yet here he is, hiding in his own cabin. 

"I'm going up to help." He decides.

"No, you're not," Shinsuke says immediately, and his grip on Hajime's shoulder tightens. 

"I gotta help, Shin."

"You're a passenger, not a sailor. This is not your job. Stay here."

Another panicked yell. And Hajime's resolve strengthens. 

He stares down at his husband. They're both stubborn as can be, but he won't give in this time. 

He breaks free from Shinsuke's grip and runs to the door.

Shinsuke tries to follow him but another violent movement of the ship knocks him back onto the bed and he has to hold on to the sides not to fall. His eyes widen in fright, but as he turns to Hajim it gets buried and replaced with anger. 

"Hajime, I swear to the gods. Don't you dare leave right now" He threatens.

Hajime smiles at him. "I'm sorry. I love you."

"Hajime!"

"I'll be back, darling, I promise!" He yells, and then closes the door behind him. 

As soon as he goes out he's attacked by the rain. He holds up his hand to shield his eyes, using the other to hold himself up as the ship sways violently back and forth. He's drenched in a matter of seconds. 

He looks around and spots Moniwa on the top deck, desperately trying to control the whipstaff and steer them through the storm. 

"Need a hand?" He shouts through the thundering sound of the storm. 

Moniwa's eyes widen. 

"What are you doing out here?" He 

Hajime starts walking, carefully balancing himself as he climbs onto the top deck. "Thought you could use some help!" He says, having to raise his voice to be heard over the rain even when they're only a meter apart. 

Moniwa hesitates for another moment, but then he steps aside and lets Hajime take his place alongside him. 

Together they manage to keep the ship in line as they break through the waves, even the ones that tower far over them. Hajime can barely see anything through the constant onslaught of rain. He wipes his face and winces as the salty seawater gets into his eyes. 

His muscles are already protesting after a few minutes, and he knows that it'll get far, far worse in the coming hours. A storm like this doesn't just blow over in a few moments. 

Another panicked shriek comes from beneath them, and Hajime squints, fearing that one of the sailors in the masts have fallen. 

But a terror greater than anything he's ever felt overwhelms him at the sight of oh so familiar silver and black hair.

"Shin?"

"Hajime!" Shinsuke yells as soon as their eyes meet.

"Darling, what are you doing, get back inside!" He screams in a panic, but the rain and wind drown out his voice. 

Shinsuke steps outside and closes the door. 

"OI, KITA-SAN! FUCKING GO BACK TO YOUR CABIN!" Kamasaki roars from up the mast. 

"Not until my husband comes with me!" Shinsuke shouts back. He turns back to Hajime 

Moniwa turns to Hajime and pushes him away. 

"Go back with him. Now!"

Hajime shakes his head "I can't just leave you behind." 

"I need you two to be safe. That's what I was paid to do. Go back." The captain grits his teeth. "That's an order!" 

But exactly at that moment, another wave breaks over the ship and it tilts dangerously far port side. Moniwa yells in shock and grabs Hajime's arm in an iron grip. It takes all of their combined strength to keep the ship on course. 

"No. I'm not leaving." Hajime pants. He turns back to his husband. "Shin, go back! I'll be with you when this is over!" 

He doesn't know if Shinsuke can hear him, but the look on his face must speak for itself. 

He starts walking across the deck towards them, unstable but determined. 

And exactly at that moment a wave higher than any of the ones that hit them before barrels into the date no kabe from starboard. 

"NO!" Hajime shrieks, but it's too late. Shinsuke is knocked backward and falls, crashing into the taffrail.

Hajime prays to every deity he can think of that he's not unconscious. But then Shinsuke's eyes fly open and he gasps for breath. 

He breaks himself loose from Moniwa's grip and scrambles towards his husband, but his feet slide on the wet wood and he can barely hold on to the staff to stay upright, he cries out, reaches towards Shinsuke in horror.

To his left, he can see Sasaya already making his way towards the stern. Aone is adjusting the rope around his waist to lengthen it so he can reach Shinsuke, skillful fingers making quick work of the knot.

But it's too late. 

The last thing he sees is the fear in Shinsuke's eyes as he desperately tries to hold on to the taffrail. But another wave sweeps over them and the mass of water takes Shinsuke with it. Drags him down into the deep black depths of the ocean. 

He's gone. 

His husband is gone. 

And all Hajime can do is continue holding on to the whip and wail.

**Author's Note:**

> So this is part of a larger work that I'm working on right now and will be uploading throughout and after Kita ship week in February. 
> 
> But for now, you can have a little mcd *John Mulaney voice* as a treat.


End file.
